Interview with Santa Cruz

First of all, thank you, guys, for taking some time for this interview!
Archie: No problemo, Señorita! [Laughter]

For the beginning and because it's your first interview with Trash&Riot ever, would you like to introduce yourselves?
Archie: Well, we are Santa Cruz, Baby, a Hard Rock band from Helsinki, Finland. Or with other words: Kick-Ass Hard Rock the way it should be played!

And what are your names and what are your instruments within Santa Cruz? Johnny: Johnny. Guitar.
Middy: Middy. Bass.
Archie: Archie. Vocals and Guitar.
Taz: Taz. Drums. [He plays a rimshot on his drum as a kind of introduction to the interview; everybody is laughing]

The first time I saw you on stage was more or less a coincidence. You played as the support act for Sonic Roots in April 2010 at "Manala" and the gig wasn't that well-attended, to say it in a nice way. Only a few weeks later I saw you again playing, in the much bigger venue of "Bar Bäkkäri" / "Green Room". You were the main act and the venue was bursting at the seams. What happened between these two gigs? Did you play a lot of gigs in between?
Archie: Well, indeed we started to play more gigs in that time but it was also about the circumstances of the gigs 'cause, for example, it was in the middle of the winter when we played at the "Manala"...
Middy: … and the next one at "Bar Bäkkäri" / "Green Room" took place in the framework of the official after-show party for the Tuska Open Air 2010. So there were many people anyway...

When did you start to play gigs at all?
Johnny: In 2007.
Archie: Yeah, in 2007. But we had a total different line-up back then and only one gig and maybe three rehearsals in 2007. [Laughter] In 2008, we started to play gigs in youth clubs and this kind of places and in the summer of 2009, we had our first bar gig at "On The Rocks". After that, we were playing gigs increasingly and nowadays club owners, festival organisers and so on know us pretty well...

Indeed! Tommi Niemi, the new owner of "On The Rocks", has even created a whole events series for you like Steel Panther have their own events series in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. So now you have a similar status in Helsinki like Steel Panther have theirs in Los Angeles and Las Vegas...
Archie: Yes, Tommi got the idea from them and, by the way, we like Steel Panther. But they are a parody, a joke - and we are not! But the idea of the own events series is great 'cause we don't have to go to the audience in Helsinki - the audience knows where to find us. It's like we are a football team and "On The Rocks" is our home field. And we know what to expect every time when we are playing there.

Really? I mean you always perform with various special guests at the "Santa Cruz Rock Nights". Does the number and also the kind of concert attendees not vary, depending on who your special guests are?
Middy: I think it doesn't effect.
Archie: Of course, it effects but not that much as I thought before. Although: Last time we performed with Vince from White Flame who is one of the best singers in Finland when it comes to Hard Rock, I think, and we didn't expect that many attendees so, yeah, it also depends on our special guests...

Do you ask musicians if they want to perform with you or do they come to you and suggest themselves to be your special guest?
Archie: Well, of course, in the beginning, we had to ask everybody 'cause it was a new events series and the word of it wasn't spread right away. And... You know how it goes: You meet people in the bars and stuff, asking them "Hey dude, would you like to come and play some songs with us?", they are like "Yeah, man!" - and the next morning they are like: "Oh fuck, I have promised that!" [Laughter] No, I'm just kidding. You have to go out and meet people and ask them if they want to perform with you. It's not like we are getting tons of emails from all over the world, like: "Can I be your special guest, please?"

Not yet. But for example Niki Rock, the singer from the Barbe-Q-Barbies who recently performed with you, said in an interview about Santa Cruz: "They are really good! Very nice boys. They are supercute and really good players." Do you wanna comment on it?
Archie: Yeah, we have read that and I think Niki is one of the nicest persons in the rock scene of Helsinki. She has a cool attitude. I think she was maybe one of the best artists we performed with at "On The Rocks". She totally rocked it! There is nothing bad to say about her. She rocks, totally!
Johnny: That's why her name is "Niki ROCK"... [Laughter]

Can you tell us a little bit more about the next special guests of the "Santa Cruz Rock Nights"?
Middy: We can't tell anything about the next special guests because we don't have any next special guests. [Laughter]
Archie: The Muff from Naked was supposed to play with us tomorrow but he cancelled his participation about a week ago because he is going to Paris...
Middy: ... and then the next special guest should have been Enni from the Stalingrad Cowgirls but she cancelled, too...
Archie: … because she is going to Lapland. [Laughter] Everybody is going on summer vacation right now so we have to come up with something. Maybe we will have a random piano man...
Middy: … or a random guy from the street: "Hey, do you know how to sing?"
Archie: Even for us it will be a surprise what's going on tomorrow but it will be anyway a big Midsummer party. It's our Juhannus special - or "Juhannustanssit" as it's called officially... [Laughter]

Are The Muff and Enni going to make up the missed performances?
Middy: Well, The Muff is probably doing it but we have no idea about Enni...
Archie: … because we haven't discussed it yet.

Are there any other musicians you haven't performed with but would like to, especially from Finland?
Johnny: Michael Monroe would be nice! [The other band embers agree]
Archie: I think that Michael Monroe is someone everybody loves, even if you don't love his music. He is really one of the best old-school Rock'n'Roll frontmen in the world!
Middy: He really works hard like hell and he is the only real rock icon in Finland.

Talking about Finland: Meanwhile you not only have your own events series but also play many gigs outside Helsinki. What about playing gigs outside Finland, like in Germany, Russia...?
Johnny: Well, we just got one request from New York...
Middy: … and one from Russia.
Archie: It's all a matter of organisation. It has to be organised well...
Middy: At the moment, we are doing the booking and all this stuff still by ourselves so...
Johnny: … but as soon as possible, we are going to tour there!

What about Sweden and Estonia? These countries are not that far away from us...
Archie: Well, Sweden would be the easiest option. Sweden is...
Johnny: … THE rock town!
Archie: Yeah, I think it would make much more sense to go to Sweden than to Estonia because in Estonia they don't listen that much to Hard Rock...
Johnny: Yeah, and in Sweden we would kick some asses 'cause Swedish Hard Rock bands...
Archie: … Sweden has partly really bad Hard Rock bands because they just have too many of them! After Crashdïet, the whole Hard Rock scene over there exploded. Now, there are so many "Hard Rock bands" whose band members are just dying their hair blond and mostly play simple Pop Rock.

And what is your opinion about Crashdïet?
Archie: Well, the first record of Crashdïet ["Rest In Sleaze"] totally rocked!
Middy: But then... [Silence]
Archie: They are almost icons in some parts of the world. Crashdïet with Dave Lepard. But I think they didn't had so many good songs after Dave Lepard passed away...
Johnny: Dave Lepard was the songwriter of the band and now they even have problems to do some good riffs...
Archie: Although Simon Cruz [The third and current singer of Crashdïet] is a good singer as well. But where are the songs? Where are the hits?


Congratulations for making it into the final of the Bon Jovi competition!
Santa Cruz: Well, thanks! [Laughter]

Who became the winner of the competition?
Johnny: "Blockbuster", a band from Kuopio whose band members are 16 years old. The play rock in the style of Airbourne and AC/DC.

Like many, many other people out there, I was so sure that YOU will make it and get the coveted position as their support act at their show in the "Helsingin Olympiastadion" [in English: "Helsinki Olympic Stadium"] but the event took place only four days ago and now you are the opening act for Cinderella...
Archie: Yeah, it was kind of funny because we got the news that we are gonna open for Cinderella at the same time when we got the news that we are not gonna open for Bon Jovi. If we wouldn't have been in the competition for Bon Jovi, we would have been chuffed to bits after we got the confirmation for Cinderella - but the negative news concerning Bon Jovi have cast a shadow on the positive news concerning Cinderella. Of course, I am really, really honoured to play with Cinderella because I listen to them since I was a kid and this occasion is really something I will remember for my whole life...

… but you are bigger fans of Bon Jovi than of Cinderella?
Santa Cruz: Yeah!

So have you visited the Bon Jovi gig as private concert visitors?
Archie: Yeah, all of us but Taz went to see Bon Jovi at their "Lost Highway" tour.
Johnny: In 2008.

In 2008? So you haven't been there this time? Didn't you want to see them again?
Middy: No! [Laughter]
Archie: Well, I had a ticket for the show but I had two reasons why I didn't go there in the end. The old Bon Jovi from the 80s are a really big thing for me, one of my top 10 bands, but they changed so much since then... They don't rock that much anymore and they play pop and country songs. Of course, they also play the old stuff but not that rocky as they used to play them like in the early days. And on the other hand there is a band like Avenged Sevenfold. Young and hungry. I still like Bon Jovi but Avenged Sevenfold played at this year's Provinssirock festival so I decided to sell my Bon Jovi ticket and went to Provinssirock instead.

So all of you went to Seinäjoki?
Archie: No, only me.
Johnny: I was making songs.
Middy: I was just hanging around. [Laughter]
Johnny: So we were busy anyway with making songs and drinking - and fucking!
Middy: So it was ok for all of us.

How come that you are opening now for Cinderella? Was there a competition, too?
Johnny: No, I just sent three emails [Laughter] - and that was it. I sent them like three or four months ago.
Archie: Yeah, and surprisingly we got an email about a week ago.
Middy: Yeah, it was a fucking short message like: "You can open for Cinderella!"

Congratulations for that and congrats also for being now the ice hockey world champion!
Santa Cruz: Oh, thank you very much!

Are you interested in ice hockey or in sports in general?
Middy: No!
Archie: None of us has the time to do any sports. All our time goes to play, to drink and to fuck... [Laughter] But, of course, it's nice when something like this happens. Even though I'm not an ice hockey fan when it comes to regular seasons but... There was a big celebration going on after Finland had won the ice hockey world championship...

If not for sports, is there any time left for other musical projects besides Santa Cruz? Amongst others we saw you, Johnny, performing with Hybrid Children and Middy shared the stage with Hardcore Superstar...
Johnny: No, these are things we just do to help friends out...
Archie: Like recently when I went to Porvoo to record some backing vocals and guitars for the band "Baton Rogue Morgue", a bunch of bearded rockers from Porvoo. Just check them out on www.batonroguemorgue.com!
Johnny: I played a couple of guitar solos in there, too.
Archie: Yeah, every once in a while we are doing also that kind of stuff. When friends are asking... Having fun while playing music together, why not? Last summer, I also played on the record of Paleface and every now and then we are doing something with Reckless Love who are friends of ours. Just recently we performed together with Olli [Herman, the singer of Reckless Love] in Tampere, a cover version of Van Halen's "Panama".

Wouldn't he be a good special guest for the "Santa Cruz Rock Nights"?
Archie: Sure, but just at the end of the year or so because currently he is so busy with Reckless Love. They are recording their new album at the moment...

You are all around 18/19 years old, if I'm right, and personally I realised that many people mind your age although it has nothing to do with your music. Did you realise that, too? And if yes, what do you think about it?
Archie: They are just jealous because they themselves are so old! [Laughter] We have our future waiting for us while their future is already behind them... We don't care if people mind our age. I think it's rather an advantage that we are so young...

Last summer you have been in the "Studio Bulevardi" with producer Joel Attila to record your new EP after "Another Rush Of Adrenaline" but it hasn't been released yet. Why not? What happened?
Archie: Well, plans just changed and now we are recording the new EP again in Johnny's home studio which is called "Strawberry Surprise Studios". The name has something to do with erection but I can't tell you what. [Laughter]

When are you going to release the new EP?
Johnny: In this summer. In July.
Archie: We said that already last summer, like "We are going to release our new EP in this summer", but this time it's for real.
Johnny: The songs are ready. We only need to press the whole thing on CD.

How many songs will be on the EP and which ones?
Santa Cruz: Five. "Hostile Shakedown", "Don't Run Away", "Over The Limit", "Let's Get The Party Started" and "Anthem For The Young'n'Restless".

Brandnew stuff... We are totally looking forward to it! What are you looking forward to, now that all of you have finished school this summer? What's coming up next?
Archie: Only I finished school and had a great graduation party.
Middy: I'm still working on it.
Johnny: I have six months left...
Archie: ... and then he will graduate from school around Christmas - and we will have another excuse to party, haha! And about your question what's coming up next: Music!
Middy: Rock'n'Roll!
Archie: We sold our souls to the devil. We just want to concentrate on the music and maybe doing something beside this to earn a bit money but we are not planning to go to the university or something like this.
Johnny: Not yet... Archie: Maybe someday...
Middy: We will see...

What would you do if you wouldn't be in Santa Cruz?
Archie: We would play in other bands! [Laughter]

So you never had another dream than being a musician?
Johnny: I wanted to be a pilot!
Archie: At some point of my life I wanted to be a movie director - or an actor.
Middy: I'm still thinking about it but probably this is the only thing I always wanted to do.
Archie: How about being a beer tester or a pirate? [Laughter] And Taz wanted to be a porn star. He still wants it but he realised that his cock isn't big enough. No, I'm just kidding... It's true! [Huge laughter]

At the moment, tattoos are very trendy again and meanwhile you have got some tattoos, too. Do you wanna get more? I heard that all of you want to get the Santa Cruz logo as tattoos, is that true?
Archie: Almost. We are planning to get the name of our first album as soon as it's released. But, indeed, the first idea was to get the Santa Cruz logo...
Middy: … but it looks so horrible that we decided not take get this one as a tattoo. [Laughter]
Archie: The old one, yes, but the new logo is cool. It's designed by Tex Hänninen who also worked with bands like Hybrid Children, The 69 Eyes and Private Line.

Do you think that people should think a long time before getting a tattoo or is it also ok to get tattooed spontaneously? How long did you think about it and where have your tattoos been made?
Johnny: I think it depends but I was thinking a longer time about the clef and got my tattoo at "Fabulous Paradise", by Kalle Koo, the most famous tattoo artist here in Finland.
Archie: I was thinking a longer time about mine, too. It's inspired by Tommy Lee's leopard tattoo which I always considered as the coolest tattoos in the world. It's has been made by Taneli Jarva from "One Eye Tattoo". Now that I mentioned him, let's see if we get a sponsor now... [Laughter]

How about you, Middy and Taz? Do you have any tattoos?
Both: No.
Archie and Johnny: Pussies!
Middy: Fuck you!
Archie and Johnny: Our blondes, haha!
Middy: Fuck, I hate my band mates!

What about girls with tattoos, like THE tattoo icon of the world, Kat von D? Is she hot in your opinion or is it too much?
Archie: I think she's cool, totally!
Johnny: I think I watched her show maybe once...
Middy: Yeah, but is she hot or not? Wasn't that the question?

Yeah, it was... But we can also talk about reality TV shows if you prefer this to Kat von D...
Johnny: Like "Gene Simmons Family Jewels"?
Archie: That sucks! KISS has become a thing which is only about making money. They had some good songs in the 80s but it makes me puke to visualise Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley...
Johnny: … just thinking about how to make money.
Middy: Nowadays it seems to be more important to sell KISS condoms than making new good songs. You know what I mean...
Johnny: "The Osbournes" rocked!
Archie: What about Dee Snider, "Growing Up Twisted"?
Johnny: What about Andy McCoy, "The McCoys Show"?
Middy: That was cool!

Aren't you nervous at all about tonight's show?
Santa Cruz: Not yet. We didn't really had the time to think about it...
Archie: Especially now when we are talking with you about KISS and Kat von D... [Laughter]

But now we are almost done so you will still have some time to get nervous. Do you know how many tickets are sold for tonight?
Johnny: About 600. And about 900 people fit into "Nosturi" but I think there will be more than 600 concert visitors in the end...
Whether 600 or 900: We are looking forward to your show! Thanks a lot for this interview and see you on stage!

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